Raleigh, NC
| U.S. News Ratings | |
| Population: | 329,021 |
| Crime: | High |
| Cost of Living: | Average |
| Health Care: | Comprehensive |
| Housing Price: | Average |
| Income: | Average |
Raleigh, picked by U.S. News as one of the Greenest Places to Retire, is situated among the piney woods of North Carolina's central piedmont region. Named after British writer and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, this city of 329,000 is rich in history, culture, and educational opportunities.
Known as "the City of Oaks," Raleigh is plenty green: North Carolina's capital boasts a 41-mile greenway and a network of public open spaces and recreational trails where residents jog, bird-watch, and fish. It's also a city of vibrant nightlife, historic neighborhoods, concerts in the park, and Old World charm. The barbecue's not too shabby, either.
Raleigh and its Cary suburb make up the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the combined population of Raleigh and Cary grew to 1.1 million between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008—a 4.3 percent jump.
A huge driver of the city's economy is the Research Triangle Park, located between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Often compared to Silicon Valley, this science hub draws talent from the area's major universities and is home to some 170 companies, most of which are involved in high-tech and biotech fields. Companies located in or near Research Triangle Park include Cisco Systems, GlaxoSmithKline, and IBM.
Raleigh has been called the "Smithsonian of the South" because of its large concentration of museums, which include the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the North Carolina Museum of History, the Contemporary Art Museum, and the North Carolina Museum of Art.
Sports enthusiasts have plenty of teams to root for. Aside from the area's spirited college basketball rivalries, Raleigh is home to the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes and the Carolina RailHawks of the United Soccer Leagues. There are two minor-league baseball teams in the area, the Carolina Mudcats and the Durham Bulls (made famous by the movie Bull Durham).
Residents enjoy a balanced mix of wilderness preserves and gardens, greenways, and landscaped parks where they can catch free summer concerts and lounge under the shade of trees that were planted at the city's 1792 inception. Raleigh also contains plenty of playgrounds, lakes, and even a canoe trail where paddlers can cruise down 17 miles of the Neuse River. Locavores can stroll through several area farmers' markets, including the State Farmers Market, which occupies 75 acres and is open seven days a week. It has a meat and cheese center that sells farmstead cheeses, eggs, and North Carolina-raised beef, poultry, ostrich, bison, and other specialty meats.
Raleigh is home to North Carolina State University; Shaw University and St. Augustine's College, historically black schools; and Meredith College and Peace College, which are women's colleges. The University of North Carolina and Duke University are each approximately 25 miles away. Wake County has the state's largest school district.
Thanks to its proximity to pharmaceutical, nursing, and medical schools at the University of North Carolina and Duke University, Raleigh offers cutting-edge technology and healthcare. WakeMed, a nonprofit healthcare system with multiple hospitals in the area, deals in a variety of specialties, including cardiology, neuroscience, children's care, and physical rehabilitation. Raleigh-based Rex Hospital specializes in cancer, obstetrics, and same-day surgery. Within 30 miles of the city is Lenox Baker Children's Hospital, part of Duke University Medical Center. UNC Hospitals are located in nearby Chapel Hill.
Raleigh has held up relatively well during the economic downturn, thanks to the city's diverse economy. Industries with a strong presence in Raleigh include pharmaceutical and biotech, information technology, healthcare, clothing and apparel, and telecommunications. Major employers include the state government, North Carolina State University, IBM, Rex Healthcare, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, and SAS Institute.
The housing slump hasn't been as severe in the Raleigh area as in many other regions. In 2008, the median home sale price was $180,000, and home sale prices increased between 2007 and 2008 by an average of about 1 percent.
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